West Bengal SIR: 47 lakh objections disposed of till March 31, Calcutta High Court chief justice informs Supreme Court

New Delhi: About 47 lakh of the 60 lakh objections in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal have been disposed of till March 31, the chief justice of Calcutta High Court Sujoy Paul informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said they received a letter from the chief justice of Calcutta High Court on Tuesday.

"We are quite happy and very optimistic about the facts and figures," the CJI Kant said, adding that they were informed that around around 1.75 lakh to 2 lakh objections are being dealt with everyday.

Paul further said in the letter that all objections will be decided by April 7.

The hearing in the matter is underway.

The top court is hearing a batch of pleas relating to the ongoing SIR in West Bengal.

The bench also directed the Election Commission and the Chief Electoral Officer of the West Bengal “to release necessary payments to judicial officers and members of the tribunals or other allied staff, if any, in accordance with the recommendations.”

It noted the information recorded by the chief justice of the high court that all pending objections will most probably be adjudicated by April 7 and keeping this in mind the CJI posted the pleas, including the one filed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, for further hearing on April 6.

Senior advocates appearing for petitioners, including those representing the chief minister, flagged concerns over a high exclusion rate, claiming it to be around 45 per cent, and raised issues regarding filing of fresh applications and alleged procedural irregularities.

The CJI said rival parties will claim there should be 100 percent inclusion or exclusion.

The Assembly election in the state is scheduled in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The counting and the result will be declared on May 4.